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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 120 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. We need to address the ________________ of the problem.
  2. Algeria has become a bargaining ________________ in a global game of poker.
  3. Where can I ________________ my mobile?
  4. We ________________ that the plan would end in failure.
  5. The tickets are free of ________________.
  6. What's the best way to remove ear ________________?
  7. Speak softly and carry a big ________________.
  8. The ________________ of 'teacher' is 'teach'.
  9. Jason, who was in ________________ of the project, was dismissed for corruption.
  10. Only by prohibiting all nuclear weapons, we can together stop the arms ________________.
  11. This is the first time I've ever walked with a ________________.
  12. There's a computer ________________ on the table.
  13. Tiny blossoms have come out all over the river ________________.
  14. The ________________ of a dandelion is edible, too.
  15. This ________________ always watches out for its own interests.
  16. He works in a ________________ mill.
  17. The moon will ________________ and wane.
  18. Winning one ________________ isn't the same as dominating a sport.
  19. Fiction is obliged to ________________ to possibilities. Truth isn't.
  20. Atomic bombs are a danger to the human ________________.
  21. I'm going to the ________________ to withdraw money.
  22. The potato ________________ was salty and crunchy.
  23. She's very handy with a ________________.
  24. The museum has ________________ figures of famous people.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. root — the cause
  2. chip — for betting
  3. charge — electricity
  4. saw — past of 'see'
  5. charge — a price
  6. wax — in the ear
  7. stick — a piece of wood
  8. root — of a word
  9. charge — in control
  10. race — the arms race
  11. stick — a piece of wood
  12. chip — in a computer
  13. bank — of a river
  14. root — of a plant
  15. bank — for money
  16. saw — the tool
  17. wax — to grow
  18. race — a contest
  19. stick — to attach or keep to
  20. race — humankind
  21. bank — for money
  22. chip — to eat
  23. saw — the tool
  24. wax — for sculpting

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com